Summery squid salad

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg squid(s), fresh
• 1 clove(s) garlic
• 5 tomatoes, ripe
• 1 shallot(s)
• 1 spring onion(s)
• 1 lemon(s), untreated
• e.g. pine nuts
• e.g. olive oil
• n. B. Salt
• e.g. chili or pepper
• n. B. Fresh herbs (e.g. rosemary)
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar
• 1 shot of vinegar

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 20 minutes

Octopus salad with tomatoes, pine nuts and spring onions

Put a large pot of water on the boil with a splash of vinegar. If you like, you can add bay leaves, onions, leeks, peppercorns, etc., similar to stock. Clean the whole octopus and add it to the boiling water. The water shouldn’t boil too much! It’s better for the octopus to simmer at a slightly lower temperature than for it to boil vigorously for a long time. Let the octopus simmer until soft. This takes at least 30-45 minutes, but for a large octopus it can take 1-2 hours. After some time (depending on the size), it’s best to cut into one of the arms with a sharp knife and check the consistency. The octopus should be easy to cut. If it is, stop cooking it, otherwise it risks becoming too soft. Remove from the water and let it cool. Cut the octopus into small, bite-sized slices. Be careful with the head: I don’t remove the beak before cooking (it’s too slimy for me), but when cutting it up, make sure you don’t get any bits of the beak in your octopus pieces, as that creates a nasty texture. Or simply remove the beak while it’s raw. If you only want to use a smaller portion, you can also freeze some of the slices. Place the octopus pieces in a bowl. Finely dice the tomatoes, finely chop the shallots, and slice the spring onion into rings, and add everything to the bowl. Add the pine nuts to a pan without oil and roast over medium heat until brown. Be sure to check them regularly. The seeds can turn black very quickly! For the dressing: Crush the garlic or crush it with the back of a large kitchen knife and a little coarse salt. Transfer to a small bowl or cup. Wash the unwaxed lemon in hot water, dry it, and grate some of the zest into the garlic. Then add a little lemon juice (about 1/4 of the total lemon juice) to the garlic and lemon zest. Add a generous amount of olive oil. Finely chop fresh herbs (I think rosemary tastes great with it, but others work too, of course) and add them to the dressing. Season to taste with salt, chili flakes (or pepper), and a pinch of sugar. The dressing itself can be a bit overseasoned, as the tomatoes and octopus can handle a bit of spice. Pour the dressing over the octopus, tomatoes, shallots, and spring onions and mix well. Finally, fold in the toasted pine nuts. If you prefer a milder flavor, use less garlic and shallots, or use only spring onions. Homemade white bread tastes delicious with this fresh salad.